Driving Spartanburg Vibrantly Forward: Converse College for Women
The Converse College for Women (CCW) held a fall Period Party on Sunday, November 10, 2024, as part of their collaboration with the Period Project. The Period Project increases awareness of period poverty and delivers menstrual hygiene products to those in need.
Volunteers from the Converse community collected products and packed more than 350 period packs to benefit area schools, including Spartanburg High and McCracken, and restocked the Valkyrie Supply period product shelf. Nearly 75 Converse University students helped at the packing party, and some Converse alumni supported the endeavor.
The CCW holds this event at least once a year to help the on-campus and off-campus communities. Converse alumna and President of the Spartanburg Period Project chapter, Kerry Easler ’96, has been a repeat participant since 2022.
In the summer of 2024, the Converse College for Women held a “pop-up period project” with the support of alumna Addie Ledbetter ’17, who collected donations along with fellow nurses at Spartanburg Regional.
Many students on the CCW Council helped coordinate the Fall 2024 event, including Isabella Moreno ‘26, who said she was honored to be part of the team that coordinates this important event. Moreno said, “This year, after experiencing an event such as Hurricane Helene, it was really special to see Converse men and women come together and help put together product packs for our community. The CCW council spent some time thinking of how we could engage folks in order to have a good turnout while also feeling like they were truly making a difference, and I can confidently say that we met that goal. I am beyond honored to have had an impact on how this event was hosted, and I cannot wait to continue to be a part of making this event impactful for years to come!”
“After the devastation of Hurricane Helene, students, faculty, staff, and fellow alumni came together to donate products to support the greater Spartanburg community.”
Jennifer Barksdale ’16
Converse alumna and Director of the Converse College for Women, Jennifer Barksdale ’16, said she is incredibly proud of Converse’s student body for rallying to support the Period Project. “After the devastation of Hurricane Helene, students, faculty, staff, and fellow alumni came together to donate products to support the greater Spartanburg community,” Barksdale said. “It warms my heart to know that the spirit of service that I experienced as a student is still strong today.”
Valkyrie Supply accepts donations for hygiene products all year and donations can be left in the Office of Spiritual Life lobby at any time (Montgomery 201). The office can also arrange for local donations to be picked up.